£10m Gervinho In - £5m Clichy Out of Arsenal

Reports today have suggested two transfer happenings involving Arsenal, both with a purchase and a sale of players. Gervinho, who has been linked to Arsenal constantly since the transfer window opened on the 1st July is said to be close to joining Arsenal with Wenger keen to add to his attacking options, while Gael Clichy, Arsenal's French left-back is subject of a £5 million bid from Liverpool.

The Guardian claims that "Wenger is closing in on a £10m deal for the Lille forward", before quoting the Arsenal defender Johan Djourou, who is impressed by the Ivorian forwards performances in France this season. The 24 year-old helped Lille to both the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France scoring 14 goals and assisting 10 for his side. Djourou said:

"I have followed a bit of the French league this season and I have to say Gervinho is a great player." 

"I have known him for a long time and he is just a great player … quick, with so much talent and good skills. He is a great, great talent and we need that because he can play as a striker, as a No10 or on the wing."

"He has all the ingredients to play for Arsenal, that is a definite."

Liverpool have apparently placed a bid of £11 million for Gervinho, but Lille, who were thought to be prepared to sell their striker for only £6 million at the start of negotiations rejected Liverpool's offer, and requested a £4 million improvement. Wenger is said to be in the same boat as Djourou and has been impressed with Gervinho this season, therefore prompting a move for the player who has only 12 months left on his contract with Lille.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have placed a £5 million bid for Arsenal's 25 year-old left back Gael Clichy, straight after completing the £20 million capture of Jordan Henderson of Sunderland. Like Gervinho, Clichy is in the last year of his contract, and so his asking price is clearly reduced by that factor allowing Liverpool to add another player to their squad for a far cheaper price than what they have been doing recently.

Clichy is the last remaining Arsenal player who was in their famous "invincible's" squad, and his sale may represent the end of an era and the beginning of a more successful few years for the club who have won nothing for seven years. Liverpool had been strongly linked to Newcastle's Jose Enrique earlier in the season, but apparently, talks between the clubs had stalled, with the Magpies unwilling to let the left back leave.

It is turning into a busy transfer window for Liverpool, who have been linked to a whole host of young talents, especially English ones, with the signing of Henderson thought to be only the start of a busy summer for Kenny Dalglish. Wenger promised that busy summer, and if he can complete Gervinho's signing will be going some way to rebuilding his own squad, but he will also need to be doing his best to keep it together, with Nasri still yet to renew his Arsenal contract.

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